Display-rack and storage-frame.



E. E'. BAKER.

DISPLAY BACK AND STORAGE FRAME.

APPLICATION TILED AUG. 2, 1903.

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E. E. BAKER. DISPLAY BAOK AND women FRAME.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG.2, 1909.

Patented 0011.26, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

EDWARD E. BAKER, 0F PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

DISPLAY-RACK AND STORAGE-FRAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ea. 26, 1909.

Application filed August 2, 1909. Serial No. 510,861.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. BAKER, a citizen of the United States of America, re siding at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Display-Racks and Storage-Frames, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates storage frames, furniture stores large variety stored.

The paramount objects of my invention are to provide a strong and durable rack or structure that can be advantageously used for displaying and storing tables of various kinds; to alford means for compactly arranging tables to occupy a comparatively small space, and to furnish a strong and durable rack having sullicient rigidity for safely holding a large number of tables.

Other objects of my improvements are to provide simple and inexpensive means for accomplishing the desired results; to so design and construct the parts of the rack as to give the requisite strength and rigidity without unusual increase in the weight and dimension, and to supply movable parts having the desirable quality and durability and so related as to be readily assembled.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a rack that will occupy a comparatively small space when not in use, and to supply a store fixture of a neat design that can be arranged for supporting various articles either for display or storage purposes.

I accomplish the above objects by a mechanical construction that will be hereinafter described in detail and then claimed, and reference will now be had to the drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, but it must be understood that the structural elements thereof can be varied or changed, as to the size, shape and manner of assemblage without departing from the scope of the invention.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a perspective view of a display or storage rack constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the manner of arranging tables in connection with the rack, Fig. 2 is a front elevation of one of the units of the rack,

to display racksand particularly designed for and ware-houses, where a of furniture is displayed and partly broken away and partly in section, Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same, Fig. l is a plan of the same, Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line XX of Fig. 2, Fig. 6 is a perspective view of two structural elements forming part of the rack, illustrating one manner of assembling said elements, and, Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the underside of one of the platforms of the rack.

My rack consists of a plurality of units, and for the convenience of describing my rack, I prefer to term some of these units end units and others intermediate units. It is through the medium of these units that a rack of a small or large capacity can be constructed, the precise combination of units depending upon the amount of floor space and the nature of the articles to be displayed or stored. For instance, two end units can be used for displaying or storing a single tier of articles, or a plurality of intermediate units can be ar 'anged between the end units to provide a plurality of tiers.

Considering now the detailed construction of the rack, reference will first be had to the end units. These units designated A comprise two sets of uprights 1 and 2, said sets being connected by longitudinal bottom rails 3, intermediate longitudinal rails 41: and top longitudinal rails 5. The ends of all these rails are set into mortises or slots 6 provided therefor in the faces of the uprights 1 confronting the faces of the uprights 2, and to retain the two frames, each consisting of two uprights and three rails, in parallelism the bottom rails 3 are connected by transverse braces 7, the intermediate rails 4 by transverse braces 8 and the top rails 5 by transverse braces 9. All of these braces are arranged at the ends of the rails and against the uprights l and 2, whereby said braces can be suitably secured to the uprights as well as the braces. The transverse braces 8 and 9 are prolonged upon one side of the unit to provide supports 10, and it is preferable in connection with the braces 8 and 9 to mortise the same, as at 11, and the uprights, as at 12 whereby these braces can be more firmly secured to the uprights. The supports 10 of the end units are adapted to hold longitudinal platforms 13, and the under side of each platform at the rear end thereof is provided with a stirrup 14, to receive the support 10 at the rear of the rack. The object of this stirrup will presently appear. It will now be observed that the end 7 units can be closely arranged with the platforms of one unit confronting the platforms of the other unit, whereby articles can be supported upon the platforms 1?) between the units. For instance, tables, rocking chairs and various pieces of furniture can be arranged upon the platforms to span the space between the end units.

Referring now to the intermediate units, I have only illustrated one of these units which has been designated 13, but it is to be understood that the end units A can be arranged a sufficient distance apart to accommodate a plurality of the intermediate units, thereby providing a number of tiers for the display or storage of articles. The intermediate units are constructed similar to the end units, with one exception and that is that the intermediate and top braces 8 and 9 are prolonged upon each side of'the intermediate unit to furnish supports 10, whereby the supports 10 of a single intermediate unit will confront the supports 10 of two end units.

Referring now to Fig. 1, wherein I have illustrated tables arranged in and upon the rack, it will be observed that when the tables are placed upon the front ends of the platforms 13, said platforms would have a tendency to tilt and become displaced if it were not for the stirrups 1st at the rear ends of the platforms, consequently these stirrups facilitate the placing of tables and prevent accidental displacement of the platforms. If smaller articles are to be supported in connection with the rack that has been arranged for tables, transverse planks 15 can be placed upon the platforms 13 and arranged to support a smaller table than those supported by the remainder of the rack, or an article altogether different. With tables in a superimposed position, other tables can be placed in the rack to rest upon the floor beneath the superimposed tables, or similar articles can be so arranged.

The stirrups 14c permit of the platforms 13 being adjusted, between the uprights and the outer ends of said supports, consequently if the units of the rack are not exactly positioned, the platforms can be moved to compensate for any slight distance between the units. It now and then occurs that there are irregularities in the dimensions of tables and similar articles, and for this reason I have made the platform adjustable relative to the supports 10 to take care of such irregularities.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, is

1. A rack of the type described, consisting of a plurality of cooperative units adapted to be assembled to support articles, each unit comprising two sets of uprights, longitudinal rails connecting the sets of uprights to provide two parallel frames, braces connecting the rails of said frames, some of said braces being prolonged to provide sup- )orts, platforms adapted to rest upon the supports of said braces, and means carried by each platform for engaging the supports at the rear side of said rack.

2. A rack consisting of units adapted to be assen'ibled to support articles, each unit comprising parallel frames, braces connecting said frames, some prolonged to provide supports, platforms adapted to rest upon the supports of said braces, and means for detachably connecting the rear ends of said platforms to the supports of said braces.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWVARD E. BAKER.

Vitnesses F. P. KUNKEL, M. L. BAKER.

of said braces being. 

